>One of the great parts about sharing the big day with our couples is we are constantly introduced to new firsts and fun traditions. With each culture comes different customs, some dating back thousands of years. The Tea Ceremonies, the signing of the Ketubah, or perhaps, henna on the palms. Each culture is different and amazing in its own way, but I think some of the Chinese traditions are without a doubt, the most entertaining to experience.

So the way it works is, Jack is to meet up with Nancy prior to the ceremony. As he approaches the house where Nancy is getting ready, he has to yell at the top of his lungs, “Hello Nancy Yip, I’m here to Marry You”. At this point, her bridesmaids and friends come down and make Jack and his groomsmen answer a series of questions and perform tasks to gain entrance through the front door. Trivia is usually related to the bride and groom’s relationship.
. . . . . well, for every question they get wrong (i.e. guessing which lipstick is Nancy’s by looking at a bunch of lips pressed against a piece of paper, or guessing which artist is singing the song they are hearing) they have to do push-ups.
Let’s just say Jack and the Groomsmen got their workout for the day, as you’ll see in the clip below. Enjoy Nancy + Jack 🙂

>I feel as though I’ve said this 5 thousand times now, but for some reason, nothing ever gets old about vineyard weddings. I suppose that sentence deserves a, “well, duh!”, however I felt the need to write the sentence anyways.

Brent + Denise, or Brenise, as they affectionately refer to themselves, set the scene for a vineyard in October. With the fall effect in full swing, these two tied the knot in one of the most romantic ceremonies we have ever been a part of. The craziest part is that the readings were so good, that we didn’t even include their hand written vows to one another in this trailer. . . you have to save a little candy for the feature film, you know?

So instead, we focused on a very simple, yet powerful reading defining the concept of Marriage. For you married folks out there, myself included, this reading couldn’t be closer to the truth on so many levels, so be sure to pay attention as you watch this clip. From the beautiful overflowing vines to a sneak glimpse at the officiant while he was rehearsing on a bench prior to the ceremony, this trailer incorporates some great imagery tied together with a very prophetic reading about marriage.

A very special thanks and shout out to Lane Dittoe, photographer extraordinaire for all his help on the big day and Joe over at Atmosphere Entertainment for keeping the party rockin’.

. . . and here it is, Brent + Denise // aka Brenise

-enjoy! – Steve

>We posted Josh + Leah’s Same Day Edit a while back, but I wanted to post it side by side with their trailer to emphasize the difference between the two. Storytelling is a big portion of what we do, and while the Same Day Edit is a great vehicle to show your guests the day in a way they didn’t know was possible, our edits after the shoot are where we have the time to really be meticulous. I’ve posted both the Same Day Edit and the Trailer next to one another for you to check out.

The Same Day Edit. . .

Their Trailer. . .

>Of all the venues that are at the disposal of any given couple, there is something timeless and so romantic about a fall wedding on a vineyard. Billy + Amy were married in style at Ponte Family Estate. I could begin to write on about all the details, but it’s so much better to simply check out the trailer. . .

A special shout out to Joel and Studio EMP for being a pleasure to work with as always. True professionals with a rockin’ eye for stunning imagery, check em’ out!

A beautiful wedding for a wonderful couple. . . . .
Enjoy 🙂
-Steve



2010 Bride's Choice Awards - Wedding Photographers, Wedding Cakes, Wedding Venues & More Weddings, Wedding Planning, Wedding Websites, Wedding Checklists

So today was pretty exciting when we received the word that WeddingWire has just announced Weddings by SML has been selected to receive the WeddingWire 2010 Bride’s Choice Awards for Wedding Videography!!!

The annual Bride’s Choice Awards recognizes and celebrates excellence in quality and service within the wedding industry, as determined by recent reviews and extensive surveys from over 500,000 newlyweds.

So what this means is Weddings by SML is among the top five percent of all vendors in the WeddingWire community, which includes over 100,000 wedding professionals across the US and Canada!

We are honored to be considered among the very best within the WeddingWire Network and a very large thank you goes out to all our couples for nominating us for the 2010 Bride’s Choice Awards!!!


Here’s to another fun and exciting year in 2010!

-Steve